University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 1994 Cambodian refugee women returning home Gry Tina Andersen The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Andersen, Gry Tina, "Cambodian refugee women returning home" (1994). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 1734. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/1734 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Maureen and Mike MANSFIELD LIBRARY TheMontana University of Permission is granted by the author to reproduce this material in its entirety, provided that this material is used for scholarly purposes and is properly cited in published works and reports. ** Please check "Yes " or "No " and provide signature^"^ Yes, I grant permission \! No, I do not grant permission Author's Signature ^ajl^ \'Tjynnij (h/ndpa Date: Any copying for commercial purposes or financial gain may be undeitaken only with the author's explicit consent. CAMBODIAN REFUGEE WOMEN RETURNING HOME by Gry Tina Andersen presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Interdisciplinary Studies The University of Montana 1994 Approved by: UMI Number: EP34333 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent on the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMT DtsMTtition PubMing UMI EP34333 Copyright 2012 by ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This edition of the work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Anthropology and journalism Andersen, Gry Tina, May 1994 Cambodian Refugee Women Returning Home (122 pp.) Director: Frank B. Bessac The study analyzes the reintegration process of thirteen Cambodian returnee women and gauges to what extent their expectations of the repatriation were met. Although labeled a "voluntary repatriation" by the United Nations, the 385,000 Cambodian refugees living in Thai border camps had virtually no other choice but to return to their homeland in 1992-1993. A brief description of Cambodia's geography, demography, languages and history gives a background for the events preceding the launching in March 1992 of the United Nations' largest peace-keeping operation. More than two decades of civil war had devastated Cambodia. The four contending political factions had agreed to a cease-fire, demobilization of soldiers, repatriation of refugees and the holding of a general election in May 1993. One faction, Democratic Kampuchea (the "Khmer Rouge"), withdrew from the peace process in June 1992. A "land and housing materials" package initially offered to the returnees soon became a futile option because of the millions of land-mines and continued fighting in the countryside. Of the returnees, 87 percent settled for a cash grant. The interviewees were grappling with many difficulties, both on the practical and the emotional level. The four widows in the group, all with children, were found to be the most economically vulnerable. Not having any land to cultivate was the main problem of all thirteen, in addition to housing and employment difficulties. Lack of access to birth- control methods was also a major problem. Counterparts to community activities found in the camps did not exist in Kratie. Ten of the thirteen regretted leaving the camps. They were disillusioned with their situation in Kratie and felt that their expectations of repatriation had not been met. The group's situation was similar to that of other Cambodian returnees. Cambodians who did not flee also had similar problems. The thirteen interviewees created a voluntary organization to pool skills and initiate development projects. 11 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This study would not have been possible without the participation of the thirteen repatriated Cambodian women I interviewed. I remain grateful to them for so readily sharing their life stories and concerns with me. I wish to thank my thesis committee, Frank Bessac (chair), Charles Hood and G.G. Weix for their encouragement and support during this project. My colleague Chhor Kylin has been very helpful in explaining various aspects of Khmer culture and history. I am grateful to itiy employer, the United Nations, for giving me the opportunity to live and work one year in Cambodia. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1: Introduction 1 A. Geography and demography 2 B. Languages 3 C. Early Cambodian History 5 D. Funan (third to sixth century A.D.) 6 E. Chenla (535-802 A.D.) 8 F. Angkor (802-1431 A.D.) 8 G. The post-Angkor period (1431-1864) 12 H. The colonial period (1864-1953) 15 I. Sihanouk in power (1953-1970) 17 J. The Khmer Republic and Civil War (1970-1975) 18 K. Revolution in Cambodia (1975-1979) 20 L. The People's Republic of Kampuchea/ State of Cambodia (1979-1992) 23 M. International intervention (1992-1993) 27 Chapter 2 A. Introduction to the study of returnee women 35 B. Purpose of study 36 C. Kratie province 42 D. Location of interviews 47 E. Limitations of study 48 F. Methodology 49 G. Introduction to interviews 52 G.l. Interview, May 7, 1993 54 G.2. Interview, May 10, 1993 56 G.3. Interview, May 15, 1993 58 H. Economic bases for the returnees 60 H.l. One widow's plight 63 H.2. Working for UNTAC 64 H.3. Personal accounts about the Kratie employment situation 65 I. Training and education of the women and their families 66 I.l. Schooling of children 70 iv J. Religious life 71 J.l. Personal accounts 75 K. Political participation 76 K.l. Personal accounts 77 L. Gender roles 78 L.l. The Cambodian Constitution 81 L.2. Personal accounts 82 L.3. Family planning 83 L.4. Personal accounts 85 M. The women's views of repatriation 86 M.l. Kratie Women's Welfare Association 91 Chapter 3 A. Comparison with UN and NGO surveys of Cambodian returnees 95 B. Comparison with the situation of Cambodians who had not stayed in refugee camps 100 B.l. Economic activities 100 8,2. Education 102 B.3. Religious life 103 B.4. Political participation 104 B.5. Gender roles and family life 104 C. Conclusion and recommendations 105 Appendix A: Questionnaire 111 Appendix B: Glossary 116 Bibliography 119 ILLUSTRATIONS Map A vi Map B vii Map C viii V LAO ii. r^P.D.R" f ^ \ it ( I- Y sixjNC >^ROTAN<!)KIRI ^ PhnufTt TMng ifeNG Sl^R^B M*«nch«v '^Bonu Long PREAH VIH^AR '^StAnii BATDAMBANG KAMP6NG THUM m6N[X^i KIRI » KRACH^H ' (KRATIE) ^KrAchAh IKratial POUTHISAT (PURSAD ICAMP6NG CHAW CHHNANG /'Av 4- f ' • • ' f6na KAMPONG . h K6og A Au SPCP ' pcnh KAmpdnfl PREY GULF Sdci OF ^VAYK THAILAND Rl 'TAK£V I (TAKEOl Provinces ol ChhJk Kimpdmt AMBODI A KAMPOT X Th0 boiM*tUfi»» and namm on thit msp * KAMPONG do not tmpty omeiai attdofwamrnm ot aeofjUncm 'caAj^ •c bv thm Unhmd Hmdona mt MAP NO. 3671 fl«v. 1 UNITED NATIONS JUNf 1M2 MAP OF THAI-CAMBODL^ BORDER REGION Map B THAILAND LAOS Site B (FUNCINPEC) Natrao fDKJ ^ ^ ' Samrong Kiat (DK) ' • • J-LJ- Site 2 (KPNLF) , RANGE / DANGREK Khao I Dang (UNHCmm/" Sisophon Aranyaprathet ; Site 8fOK)a/ N Battambang Chanthabuh Borai (DK) CAMBODIA ^Sok Sann (KPNLF) Pursat •Ta Luan (DK) PHNOM PENH Gulf of Thailand SCALE IN MILES \ ^ Camps holding displaced Cambodians, under the control of: • DK—Democratic Kampuchea • FUNCINPEC—National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful and Cooperative Cambodia • KPNLF—Khmer People's National Liberation Front • L/A/HCfl—United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Lawyers Committee for Human Rights vii WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME Map C PRESENCE OF RETURNEES BY PROVINCE Y MEAMCTFEY P«£AM VIHEAB n£MKEAP G KONG TAKEQ RETUKNEE FAMILFES BY PROVINCE BATTAMBANG 26581 PREY VENG 1187 BANTEAY MEANCHEY 20893 KOMPONG THOM BIEMREAP 1660 SVAY RIHNG 589 IKANDAL KRATIE 3-?9 SAT 5881 PREAH VIHEAR 333 TAKEO 3*? 06 OTHER PROVTNCE 180 KOVfPONG CHAM KOH KONG n6 KOMPONG SPEU 2018 STTJNG TRENG 140 KOMPONG CHHNANG 1464 RATTANAKIRI 41 1411 MONDOLKIRI 12 viii Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION The present study is based on interviews with thirteen Cambodian women who have recently been repatriated from refugee camps on the borders of Cambodia. Their return coincided with a United Nations-organized general election which it is hoped will end the more than twenty years of civil war which made the women flee their homeland. There is a great lack of detailed ethnographic information on Cambodia. Considering the chaotic and dangerous conditions in the country while I was assigned there by the United Nations, I could not hope to conduct an in-depth study. This thesis is therefore more descriptive than analytical. I chose to interview women rather than men because I assumed that women with children bear the brunt of the hardships of resettlement, not only in Cambodia, but also in other parts of the world. Some of the questions dealt with in this study are: How are the women trying to cope? How do they find employment and a place to live? Who looks after children, and how do children gain an education? The first part of the study presents a brief overview of Cambodia's geography, demography, languages and history.